LeapFrog Investments adds two new partners to co-lead financial services in Asia

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LeapFrog Investments has appointed two new partners, both dedicated to growing the group’s portfolio of financial services companies in South and Southeast Asia.

“LeapFrog is building on its success in emerging Asia, having repeatedly invested in global brands of tomorrow, and accelerated their growth and performance,” says LeapFrog founder Andrew Kuper. “With Michael and Stewart’s deep financial sector expertise and networks, we expect to build on this extraordinary track record and further scale our impact.”

Michael Fernandes has nearly 20 years of experience in operations, consulting and investing. He was previously country head for India for Khazanah Nasional, the sovereign fund of Malaysia, where he focused on financial services and infrastructure, and was responsible for over USD700m of direct investments. He also managed the Khazanah healthcare portfolio, consolidated under IHH Healthcare and listed in Singapore for a USD7bn valuation. Previously, Fernandes led the USD250m global custom manufacturing business for the Piramal Healthcare Group, and prior to that was a partner at McKinsey & Co.

Stewart Langdon, formerly director of investments, has been promoted to partner. Langdon joined LeapFrog from Rothschild, where he played a key role in the founding and rapid growth of the firm’s Dubai office, and prior to that was with Ernst & Young. He co-led LeapFrog’s landmark investments in Mahindra IBL and Shriram CCL, pan-Indian companies that provide insurance, savings and investment products.

The firm expects to make further hires in both Asia and Africa in 2013.